Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-26
THE INVESTIGATION.
The Agricultural and Mechanical and
the Prairie View Colleges and the
Sam Houston Normal.
Their Condition as Shown by the Report
of the Joint Senate and House Com.
mittee Just Made.

pointed to visit the Agricultural and Me-
chanical College, the Prairie View Nor
mai School end the Sam Houston Nor
nal Institute, and to inquire into the
cause Of the removal Of General W. 2
Hardeman from the position of financial
agent of TIE Agricultural and Mechanical
College, make the following report:
We reached the Agricultural and Me
chanical College On the morning of March
!, aud organized by electing G. ". Glass
cock chairman Of the committee, and
proceeded to the investigation of the
charges preferred by General Hlrdeman
against the said college VITA reference to
his removal as financial agent Of said col
lege.
The committee find that, under the law,
the board of directors had authority to
remove General Hardeman as agent of
said college, and as to the cause of his
removal we found nothing that reflected
upon the honor or integrity of General
Hardeman, nor the board Of direc-
tors Of said college. Your commit
tee, not having sufficient time to
examine fully into the working and
management OF the Agricultural
and Mechanical College, cannot make q
fulland explicit report as We would like
to do But we are lead to believe from
l8hat we saw that the amount of money
i expended by the state on the agricultural
department. has DOT been SO expended as
ta bring that branch up to the expects
tionssof the committee and the require
ments of the state. The mechanical de-
partment seems to be more efficient.
The military feature CT the college
seems to be well conducted.
The students being required to drill
under the directions Of Lieutenant Carrie
ton of the United States army to meet
The requirements of the United States
| government in its appropriation to this
college. as a means of enforcing disCip-
line, obedience and prOmptness, it Is
found to be Of great advantage TO the
students.
The health Of the students seems to be
good; there has been only one death dur
lag the past year.
The best of feeling seems to exist be-
tween the students and the faculty.
We found the dOrmitory and mess hall
well kept, &nd the students well provided
for.
The academic department of the college
seams to be well conducted.
Ia order to correct the impression
which prevails, that a full literary course
should rot be taught at this college, the
committee find that by the act of Congress
making an appropriation to aid this col
| lege, classical ana scientific stud les shall
not be excluded.
The buildings all seem to be in good
condition, except the main building, which
needs some lightrepairs.
There is in cultivation about 200 acres
of land Upon examination we found
that the 200 acre field is not self-sustain-
ing. Such being the case, we do not ad-
wise that any more Of the land be put in
cultivation.
There are about 2, +l6 acres of land in
one body belonging to the college, most
of which seems not 20 be susceptible of
cultivation: we recommend that the re-
mainder of the tract of 900 acres not
incl0sei be inclosed and kept for pss-
ture.
Upon examination of the stock we
found that considerable interest had
been taken in supplying the farm with
blooded stock, consisting of cattle and
hogs, for the purpose of experimenting
in stock raising.
We found that much interest is taken
| in experimenting in poultry raising, an
incubator being used for Matching pur-
poses.
We find that the supply of water is
limited, depending on tanks for stock and
tout purposes.
We recommend the following improve
ments:
l. Good water facilities.
,. A hospital building.
8. The fencing OF the unlnClOsed lands.
4. Additional machinery and tools for
mechanical department.
On the 9th day of March, 1887, we
reached the Prairie View school, and
made thorough inspection; found it in
! good condition. We inspected the build
ings and found them neat and in coed
repair, and appear to be well taken care
| of. The students seem to be in good
health. From our observations during a
short stay we are CT the opinion they are
getting along as well as could be
expected.
The professors of said school seem to
take great interest in its prosperity.
There is full attendance of students,
who seem to be we'll pleased, and seem
to take great interestin their studies.
About 1900 acres of land belongs to
this institution, nearly all of which is
susceptible of cultivation.
Your committee are of opinion that in
proportion the colOred population bear to
the whites, the state has contributed
more money 10 build up and maintain its
colored Prairie View Normal College than
it has the Agricultural and Mechanical
College and Sam Houston Normal Schools
We recommend that good water faCili
ties be better provided for.
SAM HOUSTON NORMAL SCHOOL.
The committee on the 18th day of
March reached Huntsville, where this
school is located; we were warmly and
enthusiastically received by the principal,
professors and students, and were cUur-
teousIy and kindly treated by them.
The principal and profe ssOrs conducted
US to each of the rooms in the college
building where the committee witnessed
the exercises and exemplifications of the
students in their regular recitstions, OBJ
| ject and normal teaching, and in Gales
themes exercises, all of which exhibited
the result of careful training and good
proficiency on the part of the professors
and students.
The committee regret to say that this